Salt Rock laaitie in the Mr Price Pro

The final two spots for Mr Price Pro were decided at a trial competition at Willard Beach on Saturday.

South African surfers battled it out for the remaining two wild cards, which would secure them a position in the Prime rated ASP surfing event.

Local surfers showed some great skills, but it was 17-year-old Shane Sykes who was the standout performer.

The Salt Rock surfer made the best of unfavourable conditions as the day wore on and sealed his spot in the final.

Sykes managed to finish in second place against some top competitors who were much older than him.

Slade Prestwich, who already had a spot in the Mr Price Pro, came third in the final but still went through. Brandon Jackson won the final, which sees him compete in the Pro alongside Sykes.

“I am really happy with the win, this will be my first Prime rated event so I am pretty stoked,” said Sykes.

“There was some good surfing out there, it was better in the morning but I am used to these conditions,” he said.

Looking to his first taste of Prime event surfing, Sykes said he is going to use the same strategy.

“I am just going to take it as it comes. My heat will be against higher rated surfers but I am going to use the same strategy, just take it nice and easy.”

Get down to Willard Beach and catch Sykes take on Kai Otton, Stu Kennedy and Jesse Mendes in heat 13 today.